GoTo Connect is a cloud-based phone service system and virtual meeting platform. Many healthcare organizations use such solutions to connect and communicate with employees, patients, and other healthcare providers. To do so, however, those within the healthcare industry need to work with companies that are HIPAA compliant.
In the healthcare industry, sensitive protected health information (PHI) must be safeguarded under HIPAA. A major part of this compliance is working with vendors who will sign a business associate agreement (BAA) and ensure the security of PHI. GoTo Connect says that it is willing to sign a BAA with its healthcare customers and may be HIPAA compliant.
GoTo Connect is a market-leading cloud phone system, virtual meeting platform, and customer engagement software. The idea behind the company is to help organizations update and centralize how they communicate and collaborate. It offers virtual receptionists, virtual voicemail, and phone and video conferencing. Moreover, GoTo Connect integrates with several apps, including Zendesk and Salesforce, among others. For healthcare customers, GoTo Connect offers GoTo Meeting for Healthcare, which offers more built-in protections.
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HIPAA applies to covered entities, which include healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. It also applies to business associates (i.e., vendors) of these covered entities. These are entities that perform certain functions or activities on behalf of the covered entity.
A BAA is a written contract between a covered entity and a business associate. It outlines the responsibilities and obligations of each party regarding the handling of PHI. Typical provisions within a BAA include:
The agreement is required by law for HIPAA compliance and is considered the primary item to consider when it comes to GoTo Connect and its ability to be HIPAA compliant. GoTo Connect is a business associate of a healthcare organization if it is storing, processing, or transmitting PHI, such as a name.
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Generally, the HIPAA Privacy Rule allows healthcare providers to disclose PHI if they receive assurance that the information is protected through a signed BAA. We checked the GoTo Connect website in 2021 and found that the company was willing to sign a BAA. Currently, its BAA is viewable on its website; healthcare organizations can request a BAA through the GoTo Legal Team.
Covered entities must consider the administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that a vendor utilizes to protect PHI. To accurately provide a phone and conference system, such platforms must have access to personal information to facilitate communication. With the increasing importance of data privacy and security, all healthcare business associates who collect, store, or process PHI are subject to HIPAA regulations.
Many phone providers are available, but not all meet HIPAA requirements for encryption, data backup, and access controls. GoTo Connect takes its healthcare security seriously and includes several web pages directed to healthcare organizations on its website. According to one such page, besides the BAA, GoTo Connect data is kept private with AES 256-bit encrypted video conferencing and data at rest.
Other general data security measures the company lists involve:
Accordingly, GoTo Connect also states that it is dedicated to monitoring and continuously improving its security features.
The BAA is a necessary component of HIPAA compliance and GoTo Connect will sign a BAA for its healthcare customers. Conclusion: GoTo Connect may be HIPAA compliant.
Healthcare providers know that clear and efficient communication with patients is necessary to run a successful practice. When evaluating a platform’s HIPAA compliance, especially on the cloud, consider the following security needs beyond a BAA: